Global supply chain 'needs collaboration'

The environment in which supply chain managers operate has changed drastically over the last ten years, according to an expert.

Rick Blasgen, chief executive of the US-based Council of Supply Chain Management Professionals (CSCMP), told the Financial Times that globalisation has led to an increased emphasis on collaboration in the sector.

Companies are required to work closely with supply chain partners to control risk and maximise transparency, while also negotiating a complex network of suppliers that spans the globe.

"You have to trust your partners with information that in the past you might have considered proprietary," Mr Blasgen told the newspaper.

According to Gartner analyst Kevin O'Marah, the rise of the internet and the rapid growth of global markets have forced companies to approach supply chain operations in a completely new way.

The CSCMP has said mastering financial strategies for supply chain professionals will be the central theme of its seventh annual European conference, which is due to take place in Barcelona from June 8th to 10th.

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